Michael Vick's dogs are persevering, too

February 25, 2010|By Tamara Dietrich

It's nice to see that Michael Vick is getting over his ordeal.

The trauma of prison, a pro football career interrupted and a reputation permanently tarnished have taken their toll, but the Newport News native has taken lemons and made of them a successful season with an NFL team and a weekly cable program.

He did it, as he told columnist David Squires, with the love, support and smiles of those who believe in him, and his own ability "to be resilient and to persevere and get through it."

Good for him.

He went from deprived East End kid to football superstar to federal inmate convicted for fighting and killing dogs to a last-ditch shot at the major leagues.

An all-American rags to riches to rags to riches story.

You know who could relate?

Cherry.

You remember him, Mike. Or maybe not. After so many pit fights, so many dogs hanged, slammed to death against the ground, electrocuted, shot, etc., it's hard to keep them all straight.

Like you, Cherry was lucky. He got his last-ditch shot from a judge who sent him and 21 others from your Bad Newz Kennels to the Best Friends Animal Society in rural Utah, also known as "DogTown."

Cherry got a lot of love, support and smiles, too, from trainers and staff – to the point where he was finally adopted out. Only four others have made it that far.

Even then, Cherry had a long way to go. At first in his new home, even after all the hugs and smiles, the socialization, the training, the treats, he was too terrified even to walk to his water bowl.

But, like you, Cherry's making progress. So are Oscar, Ray and Oliver. Halle was the first to be adopted. Handsome Dan is with a family, too, bonding with a 12-year-old boy.

Five in all have been placed in loving homes. Sixteen are still at DogTown. Sadly, Bonita passed away a little over a year ago from an adverse reaction to anesthetic during a dental procedure. But at least it was peaceful. At least it was painless.

Lucas and Meryl are the only two court-ordered never to leave DogTown. The judge thought they were too dangerous.

But Lucas, says shelter spokesman John Polis, "is a sweetheart. And Meryl has come light-years. She's interacting with people."

It's not inconceivable that one day these two will come further still, and the no-kill shelter could petition the court for permission to adopt them out to the right families, should they ever come along.

If not, they and all the remaining Bad Newz dogs will have sanctuary there.

"We've worked with thousands of dogs," Allums says, "and these dogs are not dangerous dogs. They just need the right management, the right home."

For privacy's sake, she can't say where the five Vick dogs have been placed, only that they're scattered across the country. Every family was carefully screened, and the dogs are still required to work with trainers.

"A lot of these dogs, their biggest issue was fear of people. They've been afraid, but they don't show the tendency to bite. They back away from us. They don't bite – they're not confident enough. They really had a rough start. Very stressful. Some of them were afraid to walk by other groups of dogs."

A rough start. Stress. The need for the right management. For support and acceptance. For a second chance. Resilience and courage through pain. Sound familiar, Mike?

Squires asked Vick for his biggest lesson learned, and he answered: "Just be forthright, be honest, tell the truth."

Really? That's it?

Nothing about not mortgaging your soul and torturing animals for a buck or for fun – just don't lie about it?

That lesson would still have put you away in federal prison: "Your honor, I DID run an illegal dog-fighting ring. I DID kill dogs with my own hands and laugh about it."

Mike, even your dogs have learned you should be a better man than that.